Ankle-brace.



P. J. sEscILA. ANKLB BRAGB.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1908.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

raam: J. sEscILa, or LoRAIN, oHIo.

ANKLE-BBACE.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. lSnsorLA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lorain, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Ankle-Braces, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to braces adapted to be fitted upon the foot ofthe wearer, and the object of the invention is to vprovide a brace ofthis character comprising a' casing having a heel support constructed ofnonyieldalole er nonllexible material and having a-exible ext..usionabove the ankleA upon one side of the casing while the opposite4 side ofthe casing is provided'with an auxiliary heel support constructed offlexible material, and being provided with subsidiary vankle strapadapted to be laced to the opposite side or opening of the casing so asto draw one side of the foot either out or in to correctl the deformityof a persons legs. v

With the above, and other objects in view, which will be more apparentas the description progresses, the invention resides in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawing there has been shown a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being understood, however, that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,hat that further changes, alterations and modifications within the scopeof the invention may be resorted to when desired. y, In the drawing,Figure l is a perspective view showing the improved ankle brace inapplied position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device detached.Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view upon the line 3-3 of Fig.2. Ifig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view upon the line 4--4 ofFig. Q.

The improved brace comprisesessentially a casing l which is adapted toloe worn upon the rear portion of the foot and the heel ofv thc,patient.. The casing l comprises a solo portion L to which isattached'the casing proper. 'the casing is provided upon one of its`sides, designated by the mnneral 3, with an in'istanding` portion of aformal ion adapted to suit. itself to the heel and ankle of the wearer.'lhe side ,3 is provided with a central orifice t having its edgesprovided with snit il- Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 26, 1909.,L

Application led September 29, 1908. Serial No. 455,265.

is adapted for the reception of the ankle bone of the wearer. The frp'ntedge of the side 3 is provided with a pl ality of eyelets 10, thepurpose of which will'be hereinafter 60 described, while the rear of theside is centrally .cut away to provide-a reduced extending portion 6 anda bowv shaped-lower portion 7 which has 4its lower ends conforming tothe contour of the heel portion of the sole 65- member 2 and to-whichitis secured at the edge opposite to that of the side member 3.

The lower portion of the device below the orifice 4 is provided withl ametallic rein-- forcement designated by the numeral 4, and 70 clearlyillustrated in Figs. 3and 4 of the drawings. The extremity of theportion 6, which may be termed a strap extension is provided with a-flexible stay member 8 which has its lower extremity connected with l5Y the outer extremity of the sole portion 2 at a y suitable distanceaway from the lower edge of the side 7. The upperI portion of thev strapG as well as the flexible stay 8 is pro-..

Avided with suitable eyelets similar to the eyelets upon the oppositeside ofthe brace. Secured to the forward portion of the side 7 i is asubsidiary rinstep strap -9 which has its free extremity provided witheyelets 10.

The eyelets provided upon the several mem- 'bers are adapted for thereception of a suitable lacing designated by the numeral 11.

'lhe device when positioned upon the heeland ankle of the wearer isv soarranged that one of the ankle bones protrudes through the opening 4,while the opposite ankle' bona projects through the space providedbetween the strap 6 and the side member 7.

The ankle brace is ada ted tobe worn within the shoe, and from t e abovedescription, take in connect-ion with the accompanying drawings, it willbe noted that the device may be effectively employed for bracing as wellas having a tendency to' straighten crooked legs. l It will also be ,ap-1 parent. that the device may be successfully' employed by personsallllctedwith either so called bow-legs or knock-knees the device beingsimply reversed upon the ankle to accommodate itself to either of theabove named deformities.

Having thus fully described the invention l' what is claimed as new is:

ln a device for the purpose set forth, a sole portion, a casing securedto the rear of stitching to prevent the tearing-` ot' the sole portion.lsaid casing having one of the edges ole the oriti/ce, and the saidoi'ili/cc i itsde-provided with a centrally arranged orifice and thisside below the said orioe bethe subsidiary strap member, strap extensioning provdecrwth a non-ilexibl'e'reinforoeand non-flexible side beingprovided with ment, the 'opposite 'side of thejcsng being eyelets, and,a lacing adapted to engage the centrally eut away to provide 'lowermemeyelets.

ber secured to thesole and., an upper strap In testimony whereof I ax mysignature 15 member, a, exibe stay connecting the edge in presence oftwo Witnesses.

of the strap member and the extending por- FRANK J. SESCILA.

tion of the sole, a subsidiary` strap secured Witnesses: rto the lowerportion of the vdevice and ar- CHAS. A. METCALF, 10 ranged at en angleto the sta'y, the edges of FRANK A. SMITH.

